Maine Betting: Find the Best Maine Sports Betting Sites

Maine may not yet have legal sports betting, but it still has plenty of other great gambling options to choose from. As we therefore cannot dedicate this page to recommending the best Maine sports betting sites, we’ve instead looked at what bettors can gamble in the meantime, including DFS, horse racing, casino gambling and the lottery. We’ve also discussed when the laws are expected to change to allow for ME sports betting.

You may have come across a number of websites that advertise themselves as the best Maine online sportsbooks. As sports betting is not yet legal in the state, beware that unlicensed websites are acting without regulations that enforce fairness and are unsafe. For this reason, we suggest sticking to options that ensure players are protected by the law.

Current Maine Sports Betting Situation

At the beginning of this year, it seemed as though Maine would certainly become the next state to legalize sports betting. Not only did the legislation allow for legal sports betting, but it would ensure that online Maine sports betting sites could offer mobile gambling to the state’s residents. However, despite the support of both the House and the Senate, the bill was vetoed by Maine Governor Janet Mills once it arrived at her desk, putting a stop to legal sports betting for this year.

Governor Mills’ main argument was that lawmakers were rushing into legalizing mobile wagering too quickly. It is her opinion that more time is needed to ensure that Maine players will be protected, as well as ensuring Maine’s casinos are not negatively affected by out-of-state competition. This is of course disappointing, but the up-side is that Governor Mills is still open to negotiating new legislation.

You might be tempted to sign up to an out-of-state sports betting website that advertises in Maine, but let us remind you that these offshore bookmakers are acting illegally. Until there are regulated Maine sports betting sites, players should not sign up to bookmakers that are breaking the law.

Are Maine Daily Fantasy Sports Apps Available

Unlike many states that refuse to take a clear legal stand on daily fantasy sports (DFS), Maine legalized DFS in 2015. For those who don’t understand what DFS is, these competitions ask players to draft fantasy teams from sports leagues such as the NFl, NBA and NHL that are currently in-season. Players pay a fee to enter pools and score points based on the real-life performance of players that week. At the end of the competition date, the players with the highest points win the pooled entrance money.

DFS is different to sports betting, as many have argued, because DFS involves more skill than chance. A number of great Maine online bookies for DFS offer these competitions, including both DraftKings and FanDuel. If the previous efforts to legalize sports betting passed and allowed the operators to offer sportsbooks, we would argue that both would be the best Maine online sportsbooks.

Maine Online Casinos

Although Maine allows full-scale casino gambling at two physical casinos, it does not permit the existence of Maine online gambling sites. The two casinos that offer gambling in the state are the Hollywood Casino in Bangor and the Oxford Casino in Oxford. Here, players can enjoy slots and table games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette.

The absence of online casinos and Maine online bookies means that Mainers don’t have much to choose from when it comes to online gambling options. However, if it’s just the games that you want to play, the state permits the existence of social casinos that offer casino games without accepting real money wagers.

Online State Lottery in Maine

Maine has offered residents and visitors a lottery since 1974 after it was approved through a voter referendum. Every year, the Maine State Lottery raises more than $50 million per year for the state general fund, an impressive number despite the small population of the state.

There are a number of lottery games that can be played in the Maine State lottery, such as the Mega Millions and Powerball. There are also some unique instant scratch games available solely for Maine players. Players are currently unable to buy tickets to the lottery online.

Off Track Horse Betting in Maine

Maine does permit horse racing, which may be the closest thing to legal sports betting in the state. There are several horse racing tracks within the state, with the oldest being the Scarborough Downs track. Another track, the Bangor Raceway, offers both race betting and a casino gaming floor. This has helped to maintain interest in horse racing in the state.

In addition to bets at the racetracks, bettors are also able to wager at one of four off-track betting parlors scattered around the state. The state does not currently permit online wagers through websites or mobile applications.

What Would a Legal Sports Betting Market Look Like in Maine?

Now that the Maine Governor has rejected the sports betting legislation, it’s hard to tell what kind of Maine sports betting sites we can expect, if any at all. We are confident that whatever happens, Maine will likely introduce sports betting within the next two years, though just how many betting options will be available will depend on what issues lawmakers compromise on.

As no local teams in Maine are represented in major professional sports leagues, lawmakers will not be able to drum up support with sporting companies to lobby governments to progress. Regardless, there is no reason not to believe that once sports betting is legalized, players will be able to bet on all major sports leagues including the NBA, NFL, NHL and more.

Once legislation passes, the Maine Gaming Control Board will be required to ensure that only the safest and best online betting sites can be awarded licenses. They will also be in charge of issues such as taxation, and even make recommendations to the Governor on how to spend some of the estimated $5 million in tax revenues that will be raised from the industry per year.

Final Thoughts

Unlike many states that are taking no action on sports betting legalization, Maine has proven to be dedicated to creating a sports betting market. Although it still has to iron out a few more details, we’re confident that Maine sports betting sites should be a reality before too long.

For the time being, locals are able to enjoy a number of gambling options at the state’s two casinos, enjoy great betting action at one of four Maine raceways and play the state lottery. Before sports betting is legalized, get into the spirit by signing up to daily fantasy sports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about what the best Maine online sportsbooks will be or the state’s current gambling laws? To ensure that our readers choose the best, safest, and fairest gambling options, we’ve answered some common queries about gambling in Maine.